ABC Analysis / E-TIP Analysis^®

While behavior is, on the surface, a simple overall process, it is influenced at almost every step. Managing employee and organizational behavior is a result of understanding these influences, and determining the outcomes that are necessary to your company’s success.

ABC Analysis

CLG employs the ABC Analysis to dissect the structure of common behaviors. This tool helps managers to understand why behaviors occur, and to identify the strategies for encouraging desired behaviors and discouraging undesired behaviors.

The ABC Analysis is comprised of three elements (Antecedents, Behaviors and Consequences) in a simple formula: Antecedents trigger Behaviors, and Behaviors are followed by Consequences. By understanding the characteristics that impact each of these elements, the ABCs can be used to emphasize desired behavior.

Antecedents

• Are events that precede or prompt behavior
• Have only short term effects unless paired with consequences
• Have much less impact on behavior than consequences
• Are overused compared to consequences

Behavior

• Consists of what a person says or does
• Pinpointed behaviors correlate with business results

Consequences

• Are events that follow the behavior
• Increase, maintain or decrease the behavior
• Have great influence on whether behavior occurs again
• Positive, encouraging consequences are the most desirable and effective

In business settings, and even in family life, antecedents are used much more frequently than consequences to guide behavior – most often with undesired results. By understanding that consequences are directly linked to behavior, leaders will be equipped to affect whether or not the desired behavior will recur. Antecedents have only about a 20 percent influence over what we say or do. Consequences have about an 80 percent influence and are much more powerful influencers of behavior than antecedents.

Developing E-TIPs

In addition to the ABCs, CLG conducts an E-TIP Analysis^SM to study the effect of consequences upon the performer. This helps in understanding which consequences are most likely to encourage or discourage the recurrence of behavior.

Every consequence possesses four fundamental characteristics:

Effect

• Does the consequence encourage or discourage the behavior?

To determine whether the consequence encourages or discourages behavior, the following can be asked:

Timing

•  Are the consequences experienced immediately, or are they delayed?

Importance

• Is the consequence of high or low importance to the performer?

Probability

• Is the consequence likely or unlikely to occur?

To help someone change their behavior, it is a simple matter to develop consequences that are encouraging, immediate, highly important and consistently applied. CLG teaches the E-TIP Analysis to clients to help them determine which encouragers or discouragers are going to have the most effect.